The present invention relates to the prevention of mastitis, a mammary gland infection, in dairy cattle and other animals. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of treating the teats of dairy cattle after milking for the purpose of preventing mastitis. Also disclosed are a disinfectant composition as well as a container and valve construction for use in such treatment.
Previous methods for reducing the incidence of mastitis in dairy cattle have included the practice of applying a disinfectant to each of the teats of the cow after milking by the use of a dip cup. The procedure generally includes filling the dip cup with a disinfectant and dipping each teat individually in the cup after milking. This procedure has been used for many years and has been universally recommended. However, there are disadvantages associated with such a procedure. In particular, the edge of the cup and the disinfectant itself may spread disease from one infected teat to another and from cow to cow. The cup can also be cumbersome to use and dipping all the teats takes additional time which dairy farmers do not have. Thus the dipping procedure is sometimes either omitted altogether or carried out in an improper manner.
By the present invention, there is provided a method for preventing mastitis by the use of a disinfectant composition in the form of an aerosol spray which applies disinfectant to the teat while at the same time chilling the teat, particuarly at the lower end where the teat sphincter muscle is located. By such treatment, the teat sphincter is caused to contract and close the teat orifice, thus reducing the incidence of infection.
The use of the disinfectant in the form of an aerosol spray has many advantages, including: first, it is convenient and quickly available; second, most people accept and readily use such sprays so that the job of treatment with disinfectant is more likely to be carried out by the dairy farmer; third, the use of the aerosol container and spray will eliminate cross-contamination between teats and also between cows; fourth and very important, the particular aerosol spray composition which is employed produces the desired chilling effect on the teat.
The use of commercial milking machines tends to dilate or stretch the sphincter at the end of the teat, thus making it easier for infection to enter the mammary gland after milking. Chilling the end of the teat, however, promotes contraction of the sphincter and also reduces the inflammatory change that occurs in the tissue at the end of the teat from the repeated trauma of the milking machine. Reducing the trauma induced inflammation by chilling results in healthier tissue at the end of the teat and the healthier condition of the tissues helps in preventing infection from entering the mammary gland. Contraction of the sphincter by rapid chilling of the end of the teat closes the streak canal and further reduces the possibility of infectious organisms passing through the teat orifice into the mammary gland.
The present invention is distinguished from the procedure described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,144,386 to Brightenback, wherein an aerosol foam preparation is employed for the purpose of treating dairy cattle already infected with mastitis. In the prior art method, a medicinal preparation in the form of an aerosol foam is injected into the affected portion of the udder by the use of a cannula type applicator. Thus the Brightenback patent is not concerned with treatment of the exterior of the teats for the purpose of preventing infection.
The present invention is also distinguished from the procedure described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,696 to Keith, wherein the teats are sprayed with disinfectant by the use of a spray nozzle contained within a tubular shroud, the nozzle being connected by a conduit to a hand operated air pressurized mechanism for use in transmitting disinfectant to the nozzle. In this prior art device, there is no means for achieving the chilling effect which is necessary in order to obtain the desired effects of the present invention.
In a similar manner, the present invention is distinguished from the procedure described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,423 to Sparr, which is pressurized by air under pressure and no means are provided in this prior art device for obtaining the necessary chilling effect of the present invention.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the aerosol spray is provided in a pressurized container having a valve which allows the container to be held beneath the udder and near the teats and which can provide a suitable pattern of spray, preferably fan-shaped, which passes upwardly and outwardly in an axial direction from the container to cover the lower end of the teat with disinfectant and propellant, flash volatilization of the propellant chilling the lower end of the teat at the same time.
By the present method, only the spray with disinfectant touches the teat, thus eliminating the problems of cross-contamination between teats and the spread of infection from one cow to another as occurs in the dipping procedure. Also, the method of applying disinfectant under pressure in accordance with the present invention tends to blow away the residual milk at the end of the teat and to cause effervescence of the disinfectant which permits better contact of the disinfectant with the teat orifice.
The composition which is employed in the treatment of the present invention includes a combination of materials which has been found to be particularly useful in the prevention of mastitis. In particular, the composition provides the necessary disinfectant and chilling effect, while also maintaining a uniform mixture throughout the use of the contents of a pressurized container of the composition. In one embodiment, the composition of the present invention includes the following components: an aerosol propellant such as dimethyl ether; a disinfectant such as chlorhexidine; a lower alkanol such as ethanol; glycerine; a dye material; and water.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of treatment for preventing mastitis in dairy cattle.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a disinfectant composition which may be used in the form of an aerosol spray to effectively and rapidly chill the teats of dairy cattle as the disinfectant is applied so as to result in improved protection against mastitis.
It is another object of the invention to provide a specific composition having an appropriate propellant ratio in combination with a container and valve construction which is highly effective for use in applying a disinfectant in aerosol form to the teats of dairy cattle.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a method of reducing the adverse effects of commercial milking machines on the teats of dairy cattle.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method of preventing mastitis which is easy to use and readily accepted by dairy farmers.
Another object of the invention is to eliminate cross-contamination between the teats of a cow or between cows such as has been experienced with prior art methods employing a dip cup.
These and other objects will be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.